


And So The World Shifted

by LadyBrooke



Category: Little Women (1994)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Magic, Gen, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-10 15:49:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20530550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke
Summary: The world shifted as Jo wrote and Beth stitched.





	And So The World Shifted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tablelamp](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tablelamp/gifts).

Josephine March sat at the table, frantically scribbling away.

The words shimmered on the page as she wrote. The room itself seemed to shift in response, becoming lighter.

Beth thought she was imaging it, but a look at her sister’s face made her think there was something else to this.

“Is something the matter, Jo?”

Jo glanced at her before focusing on the page again. “I have to finish writing this, and then we can talk. I promise it’s nothing wrong. In fact, I think you may feel better soon.”

Beth smiled faintly. “You said that yesterday, as well. Do you really think so? The doctor doesn’t-”

“No,” Jo interrupted as she looked at her sister on the bed, focusing on her. “I refuse to let you die, do you understand?”

Beth looked up from her embroidery. “I’m not sure that’s something you can control.”

“I think I can.” Jo stood and walked to kneel by the bed. “You remember the stories Father told us, about how some people could control the world with words? I can do that, Beth. I won’t let you die.”

“Father also said that there was no way to stop death,” Beth said.

Jo shook her head. “No, he said there was no way to bring the dead back to life. You’re not dead, Beth, and you won’t be. Just keep embroidering.”

“Why?” Beth asked. “Not that I intend to stop.”

Jo grabbed a finished hoop and looked at it. “It just feels important. Promise me you won’t stop?”

“I promise,” Beth said. “Are you leaving?”

“For a little while. I need to go get more ink, but you must keep embroidering. Do not let anyone stop you until I get back.”

Beth nodded. “I won’t.”

Jo stood up. “I know I can do this. I promise you, I will.”

“I trust you.” Beth smiled. “I know you can do this.”

Jo nodded and rushed out the door.

Beth looked over at the desk where the papers still shimmered from the ink. She glanced down at the embroidery hoop and noticed that the threads in it were also shimmering.

She took a deep breath. Perhaps Jo was magical.

She picked up a needle. If this was what Jo needed her to do, she would.

One stitch at a time, she slowly started to stitch a new sampler. This one would be a house, she decided, for a family with all their children.

First she would sew the flowers.

Several hours later, her hands were beginning to ache. Jo was not back yet.

Beth wanted to stop. Surely, she thought, surely Jo will be back soon. I just need to keep going until she comes back. I promised Jo, and I will not break this promise.

And so she continued.

Each stitch felt heavier. There was some weight pressing down upon the room, it felt like, concentrated on her sewing. Sometimes she would finish a section and the weight would lift, but it would return as soon as she started the next.

But she and Jo had promised each other.

Finally, she finished another flower.

The door burst open, and Jo skidded in the door. Meg and Amy were behind her in the hallway, but Beth only looked at Jo.

Jo looked up and let out a shaky breath. “They wouldn’t leave me alone at the market. I was afraid-”

Beth smiled faintly. “I promised.”

“You did.” Jo nodded. “And I did as well. I do have the ink. Can you sew for just a little longer?”

Beth looked down. The needle still felt heavy in her hand, but lighter now that Jo was back. “I can.”

Jo looked over her shoulder. “Do not let her stop. If she does, let me know. Do not touch my papers.”

Meg looked between the two. Amy still stood in the doorway.

“Do not let her stop,” Jo said again, frustration in her voice. 

“We won’t,” Meg agreed. “But afterwards I would like an explanation.”

“And you can have one,” Jo said. “After I finish this.”

Jo snatched up her papers and started writing again before she was even in her seat. The air shimmered again, though Meg and Amy only seemed to notice the faintest echo of it.

Beth let out another breath. It was easier to breathe now, as Jo’s words filled the page again.

Paragraph by paragraph the story took shape, and Beth gradually felt the air lighten. Jo frantically wrote, words flying against the page, and the air shimmered.

Beth kept stitching. It was easier now, flowers no longer fighting against her as she tried to sew them on the fabric. The house was almost finished, only the roof remained to be done, and the flowers that surrounded it. 

Jo was still writing, tense and frantic as she glanced over at Beth. Beth herself was smiling.

The flowers were done. The roof alone remained unfinished.

Jo wrote another page, glancing over again. Color seemed to have returned to Beth’s face, as she was sitting up easier.

Jo continued to write. It was almost finished.

Beth looked down at the sampler. One more stitch for the house.

She pushed the needle through the fabric. It was done.

Jo wrote the last word and dropped the quill.

The weight was gone. Jo started to laugh as Beth stood, crossing over to where Jo had collapsed to the floor. She knelt to hug Jo, who clung to her. 

Meg finally spoke up, looking at Beth’s face, which seemed healthy again for the first time in months, and at Jo laughing on the floor. “I would still like an explanation.”

“Do you remember those stories Father told us? About how some people can control the world with words?” Beth said, looking at Jo.

“Yes,” Amy said, as realization dawned on Meg’s face and Jo quieted.

“Jo is like that,” Beth said. “And I think she just saved me.”

“You helped save yourself. If you had quit sewing…” Jo trailed off. “I think you might be like that too, except with stitching.”

Beth blinked. “Really?”

Jo burst out laughing again.

Everyone was safe once more in the March house. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully it's okay that I combined the prompts for Beth living and some people have magic. I really hope you enjoy this!


End file.
